Net migration to the UK went down by a quarter (25%) over the last year, official figures showed.

The number dropped to 183,000 in the year to March this year, compared to a figure of 242,000 for the year to March 2011, according to data from the Office of National Statistics. The period saw 536,000 people come to the UK, whereas 578,000 immigrated here the previous year.

Meanwhile, the number of people leaving the country increased, with 353,000 people emigrating over the same period compared to 336,000 the previous year.

It is the biggest decrease in net migration since 2008 and was driven by significant reductions in the number of people coming to study and work in the UK.

Prime Minister David Cameron responded to the numbers by tweeting: "Today's figures show we are reducing net migration. Effective immigration helps us compete in the global race."

The provisional figures came after the Coalition government introduced measures to fulfil its pledge to cut net migration by tens of thousands by 2015.

They showed that over the last year fewer people immigrated to the UK than at any time since 2004, when 528,000 came into the country to live. It was largely driven by an 8% drop in the number of people coming here for formal study, with 213,000 students arriving this year compared to a peak of 232,000 in the year to March 2011.

In a controversial move, the Government has made it more difficult to study in the UK amid fears that bogus colleges were being used as cover for migrants who had no intention of studying a proper course. But despite the reduction in the total number of new international student arrivals, education continued to be the most common reason for people to come and live in the UK.

The number of immigrants coming to work also went down from 194,000 in 2011 compared to 177,000 this year, a decrease of 9%. After India, China became the second most common country of last residence for new immigrants, with 40,000 Chinese students arriving in the UK over the last year.

In terms of emigration, 17,000 people more left the UK this year than in 2011, with those leaving with a definite job rising to 127,000 in contrast to 108,000 the previous year.